Eighteen hundred and six was the year that the word cocktail was
first used in print, and on the 13th of May that year, in the Balance and
Columbia Repository, the word was defined for the first time.
However the art of mixing drinks extends much further back than
this, there are references in Shakespeare’s Hamlet of a Sack Posset, a
mixture of egg, cream, dark ale, sugar and spices; with some sixteenth
century toffs going so far as to request the inclusion of ambergris or musk.
These drinks were the work of master mixologists and some very
experimental drinkers.
The art of mixing drinks to create flavour and texture has been with
us for most of history, but where it begins to become interesting is with the
advent of distillation. Distillation comes to Europe sometime around
1000AD, where the secret of fractional distillation of essential oils is
learned from the Arabic empire and used, with great success, to
concentrate alcohol. From the very first, distillation has been linked to
alchemy and most early spirits were called some variation on “water of life”.
For many years people believed that things that were good for you
could be concentrated to a sufficient purity to grant eternal youth. From
the first, alchemists were distilling and mixing a wide variety of medicinal
and flavoursome additives to try and stay young. Hundreds of years later,
the advent and growth of cocktail culture has finally found the secret to
eternal youth.
You will still eventually die, regardless of how many cocktails you
drink, but you will keep the essence and the excitement of youth with you
whenever you have a glass in hand!
1806 is about acknowledging all those bartenders and alchemists
who have over the centuries gifted us with sumptuous libations that affirm
and promote a youthful exuberance with life. Drink, enjoy and be merry!
NOW
Modern Drinks
Aphrodite
15
Crisp like orange sherbet, a mix of lemon vodka, Cointreau,
raspberry and pomegranate. Crisp, clean and a little sweet.
Angels Milk
14
Sake with Frangelico, almond and cream. This is a light, nutty
cream cocktail where the sake balances the heaviness of the cream
with a fresh lightness.
Raspberry Fizz
16
A classic gin fizz with fresh raspberry. Sharp, tangy and refreshing.
Bitter Chocolate Orange Martini
15
A variation on the Negroni, orange with Gin, Campari and chocolate.
If you like Jaffas and bitter dark chocolate, this is the drink for you.
Margarita Custard
19
Similar to a lemon tart, but unlike any cocktail you have tried before.
Cuervo 1800 Blanco with cointreau and lemon, set hot with a fresh
egg and dusted with nutmeg. To be eaten with a spoon!
Apple Sour
15
As the name says; apple schnapps with vodka and loads of lemon
juice. Crisp, sharp and refreshing.
Hibiscus Smash
14
Mint and white rum crushed with fresh lime and loaded with
Hibiscus juice. Crisp summer fun.
Aperol and Verjuice Sour
14
Aperol and sweet vermouth shaken with Crittendon Estate verjuice
and a touch of lime. Sweetened with a hint of mandarin. A perfect
aperitif.
THEN
Historical Drinks
This section of the menu is a time-line tracking cocktails as
they have developed over the last two hundred years. We have not
included every classic that is worth mentioning, but we can definitely
make them. We have grouped drinks into decades starting with
1806 to try and capture, with at least one cocktail, a sense of what
drinks made each era unique. Some drinks fit into multiple decades,
and some very old drinks have been placed according to when
recipes were published, or when they became known to the world at
large. Where possible we have included references to where these
drinks first appear and what books to look out for if you want to do
some further reading. Some of the older drinks have been included
with the original recipes and how we make them here. This is to
update some very old flavours and styles that are too old for a
modern palate. However, if authenticity is you desire, we will happily
concoct as close to the original flavours as possible! Enjoy the read
and the drinks.
Sandwiches
Ham, tomato, tasty cheese with tomato relish
Chicken, spring onion, cheese, and apricot relish
Roasted capsicum, cheese, with sun dried tomato
Dips served with warmed Turkish bread
Warm Olives Selection of Victorian Olives served warm
Nuts selection of mixed lightly salted nuts
9
9
9
9
7
7
1756 Johnson’s Dictionary of English Language Published.
Fish House Punch
16
One of the finest flavour matches around, peach liqueur with
rum and cognac. Don’t be deceived by the flavour, there are no
mixers, just booze with booze.
The Fish House Club on the Schuykill River near Philadelphia created this
punch some time in the 1700’s, reputably the recipe was given to the club
by one of its founders, George Washington. The drink was prepared as a
lunchtime punch bowl that would sit on the bar and be slowly emptied by
thirsty customers. George Washington himself declared that this punch
was the only way to celebrate national holidays. Indeed, at several viewing
of the troops, the corps would be presented to the President before moving
away to where huge cauldrons of this punch had been prepared. It is no
surprise that the President would get three rousing cheers from the
soldiers. Lemon juice, Jamaican rum, Peach Brandy, cognac and water,
this is a true military drink, simple and very very strong.
1806 Admiral Nelson’s dying wish is for his body to be returned to Portsmouth in a barrel of rum.
Bittered Sling
16
A Short Sharp hit of fine cognac, tempered with bitters and
sugar.
This is the year of the cocktail, the year that the word cocktail was first
defined in print. The definition was printed on the 13th of May in The
Balance, and Columbian Repository, a newspaper printed in Hudson, New
York. The definition was “Cock tail, then, is a stimulating liquor, composed
of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters it is vulgarly called a bittered
sling...”
Our favourite is a combination of Cognac, orange bitters, sugar, and water.
It is lightly shaken and served straight up in a champagne saucer. When
this drink was first drunk, there were no cocktail glasses, so small wine
glasses or champagne saucers were used.
1806
Mint Julep
16
Crisp mint with bourbon and a hint of sugar; simple and
refreshing.
The Mint Julep predates cocktails, and might in fact pre-date American
whiskey, its key ingredient. The word Julep comes from the Arabic Juleb,
the method of combining rose petals and water to scent the water and
make a refreshing drink. In one sense “julep” refers to the production
method as much as the drink itself. One of the first julep style drinks to be
popularized was the Georgia Julep, a mix of brandy and peach liqueur with
mint and ice. However, the julep we now know and love has got to be the
classic Mint Julep that is drunk at the Kentucky Derby and is also
responsible for inspiring the creation of the first commercially produced
straws. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey, mint leaves, a touch of sugar
and heaps of crushed ice. Traditionally served in a silver julep cup with
straws and a generous garnish of mint leaves; the idea being to bury your
nose in the garnish as you sip from the straw.
1816 Napoleon Defeated at Waterloo in 1815
Rum Shrub.
15
Raspberries crushed with Jamaican rum and liqueur. Sweet,
strong and gorgeous.
A shrub was a preparation not unlike a cordial designed to increase the
longevity of the fruit used. A recipe from Domestic Cookery, 1807, calls for
the juice of white currents to be prepared as for jam, then strained and
mixed with rum and sugar. The liquid was then bottled and when “…mixed
with water is a pure, delicious drink for summer.” American Frugal
Housewife, 1833. From this we see that a shrub is a bittered sling or
cocktail using fruits preserved in alcohol and sugar. Our version consists
of crushed strawberries and raspberries preserved in Rum, then sweetened
and shaken, served straight up.
1826 The world’s first photograph created by Joseph Niepce in 1826.
Whiskey Bang.
16
An old style drink of cider, whiskey and spices. Full bodied
and very dry.
From Practical Housewife, 1860, this drink is a mixture of cider and
whiskey, with treacle or honey, spiced with nutmeg and a little sugar. Lots
of mixed drinks were a combination of beer, cider, and wines, before spirits
were as accessible, or as good, as they are today. Our Whiskey bang is
Aspall cider, scotch, honey and spices, served neat in a tumbler. It can
also be served hot for cold days.
1836 Slavery abolished in the British empire in 1833
Sazerac.
16
Classic combination of bourbon and cognac, with a hint of
absinthe. Not for the faint hearted.
This drink was created in New Orleans by Antoine Peychaud, who operated
a pharmacy on Royal Street in the 1830s. Friends would gather for latenight revelry at his pharmacy where Peychaud would mix brandy, absinthe
and a dash of his secret bitters for his guests. This drink became known as
the Sazerac after being made famous by Sewell Taylor at the Sazerac Coffee
House where he would only use Sazerac de Forge et fils brandy. We follow
Dale de Groff’s recipe for a New York Sazerac, half bourbon, half cognac,
with Peychaud’s bitters and sugar, served straight up in a rocks glass
rinsed in absinthe.
1846 In 1855 Cocaine was synthesized for the first time.
Cobbler.
15
Another old style mix of citrus and wine leavened with a touch
of apple, but still very dry.
This style of mixed drink uses wine, pounded ice, citrus or citrus peel, and
sugar. Ours is inspired by the Sherry Cobbler from Practical Housewife,
1860, but we use Quealy Pobblebonk white wine, apple liqueur, lemon peel
and juice, sugar and crushed ice, served in a small wine glass and
garnished with a lemon twist to accent the clean crisp flavour of the wine.
1856 The Artificial Ice Machine Invented by John Gorrie.
Brandy Crusta
17
Cognac with dashes of bitters and lemon juice. A fresh, crisp
version of the even older Bittered Sling.
The Brandy Crusta was created in New Orleans around 1850 by the
Spanish caterer Joseph Santini. It is a complicated mix of cognac, bitters,
curacao, and lemon juice. There are a couple of things that set this
cocktail apart from others of the time. The first is the use of lemon juice as
a flavour modifier, rather than as an ingredient. The lemon juice is used in
a similar way to a bitters; to change and enhance the flavour of the cognac.
The other unique characteristic is the crust of sugar around the rim of the
glass. This is the first known cocktail to be served with a sugar rim, or any
type of rim at all. It is first printed in Jerry Thomas in1862 and was
considered a quintessential New Orleans drink.
Many people sight this tipple as the forefather to drinks like the Side Car
and Margarita, however, both of those beverages use lemon as a full and
complete flavour in the drink, not as a modifier for the dominant spirit.
The side Car and Margarita are more closely related to the Sour than the
Crusta.
1866 Harry Johnson wins the world’s first ever cocktail competition in New Orleans,1869.
Blue Blazer
17
Probably the ultimate warming cocktail for cold nights.
Whiskey with sugar and spice, flamed and served hot.
One of the most famous cocktails of all time, possibly created by Jerry “The
Professor” Thomas at the El Dorado in San Francisco around 1850, it
quickly became the most popular winter beverage in the area. A mix of
scotch whisky and boiling water is ignited and poured from one container
to another until mixed and heated. Then a little sugar and the peel of a
lemon are added. Jerry Thomas never claimed to be the creator of this
drink, but subsequent commentators have attributed this drink to him
without a great deal of evidence to back them up. We make several versions
of this classic drink, and the flaming potion poured alight from one jug to
another is becoming one of our signature creations.
Black Blazer
Inner Circle dark rum with black chocolate.
17
Cognac Blazer
17
Remy Martin Cognac with Pedro Ximenes Sherry and Orange bitters
Blazing Saddles
17
A taste of the old west. Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey with sugar and
lemon peel
Tequila Blazer
18
Herradura Reposado tequila with orange peel, and a hint of white chocolate
20th Century Blazer
17
Jameson Irish Whiskey with Wild Turkey Bourbon, burnt with hot water
and finished with orange peel.
1876 Louis Pasteur published his Studies Concerning Beer about controlling fermentation.
Manhattan
16
The Ultimate New York drink. Heavy, rich, slightly bitter, and
the perfect overcoat when it is snowing outside and you can’t
find a cab anywhere.
Probably created sometime around 1850. There is a story that this drink
was made for an injured duelist in 1848, with whiskey, vermouth and
sugar. There is another and more realistic story that it was created by a
bartender named Black who created the drink in the eighteen sixties at a
bar ten doors from the Manhattan Club, which did truly make the drink
famous. However, before the memorable Samuel J Tilden dinner at the
Manhattan Club where the cocktail was served to such great appreciation,
the Manhattan was already known as a hugely popular cocktail. It should
be noted that Jenny Jerome, the mother of Winston Churchill was not in
attendance, as young Winston was being christened in England at that
exact time. The earliest recipes for the Manhattan appear in Harry
Johnson’s book of 1884, where it is listed as containing either sweet
vermouth, Curacao, bitters and whiskey or dry vermouth, bitters, sugar
and whiskey. So a Manhattan can be served either sweet or dry, but never
perfect, and should be slightly sweetened, either with liqueur or sugar
syrup. In the following ten years recipes are published containing all
manner of dashes and optional variations, but the one that has stuck and
is now considered essential is the Maraschino cherry garnish and drop or
two of the juice. We make our Manhattans with Woodford Reserve bourbon
mixed with Carpano Punt e Mes Italian vermouth and dashes of Orange
and Angostura bitters, all finished with a cherry and a few drops of the
maraschino syrup.
1886 The world’s first Skyscraper, Home Insurance Building, Chicago.
Tom and Jerry
It was 10 stories high.
16
Hot, winter desert in a glass. Think rich, thick chocolate
custard, add lots of whiskey, and enjoy.
This drink really was created by Jerry Thomas, hence the name. Some
people have speculated that this drink, and its popularity during the winter
months of prohibition, about forty years after it was invented, was the
inspiration for the cartoon of the same name. During prohibition there was
a cat and mouse relationship between the bootleggers and the government
G-Men. The bootleggers generally got a tip off before the excise officers
arrived and would move from speakeasy to speakeasy just ahead of the GMen, shutting up the booze so that there was nothing to see. This may
have been where the Tom and Jerry cartoon got the idea. What we do
know for certain however, is that Jerry Thomas created the drink around
1870, and would happily serve it for any-one no matter what the
temperature. The drink was originally a mix of Jamaican Rum with egg
and cream, seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon. We make ours with
Irish whiskey and Bourbon, chocolate liqueur, hot cream and egg yolk. All
served hot in a tumbler and tasting a little like alcoholic custard.
1886
Martinez
16
A precursor to the Martini. Lots of Old Tom Gin with vermouth
and bitters.
Sometime around 1880 the glorious mixture of Gin and vermouth begins to
gain popularity. It was named, and printed, as The Martine, The Martini,
The Martinez, The Turf Club and even The Jockey Club. The early Martinis
were mixed with Old Tom Gin, sweet vermouth and bitters. They were
sometimes shaken with a piece of lemon, and sometimes stirred without.
The Martinez that we make is a combination of The Martine from Harry
Johnson's Bartender Manual of 1888, and The Martinez from the 1887
edition of Jerry Thomas' Bon Vivants Companion. We are using the more
modern dry vermouth, Orange Bitters and we are also lucky to serve
Hayman's Old Tom Gin, a faithful re-creation of an 18th Century sweetened
gin recipe. Simply Stunning.
1896 1893 New Zealand is the first country in the world to grant women the vote.
Old Fashioned
16
The bartenders favourite, and yardstick with which cocktail
connoisseurs test a bartender. Whiskey, sugar and bitters.
The first written record of the Old Fashioned was in Modern American
Drinks George J. Kappeler in 1895 called an “Old Fashioned Whiskey
Cocktail”. What we do know about this drink is that it is effectively a
bittered sling on the rocks, it was made famous at the Pendennis Club, and
was brought to the Waldorf Astoria New York by Col. James E. Pepper,
proprietor of the Labrot and Graham distillery, now known as Woodford
Reserve Bourbon. There was never any soda water, the cherry and the
orange slice are much later additions, and using sugar syrup is considered
appropriate as the first recipes called for the production of sugar syrup in
the glass itself as the first step in making a proper Old Fashioned. Bitters
were originally Angostura, but Orange or Bokers were not unusual from
quite early on. By 1930 the recipe had twisted out of recognition with
muddled cherries, dashes of absinthe or curacao, and even the addition of
a pineapple slice as garnish. The Old Fashioned cocktail is an elegant and
restrained taming of fine bourbon, and should only be garnished with
lemon peel. We make ours slowly, with lots of ice, Woodford Reserve
Bourbon, sugar syrup, and no fruit.
1896 The Lumiere Brothers invent motion pictures.
Tom Collins
15
Fresh, tart, tall and refreshing. With lots of gin.
This drink pops up around 1860, although it is first mentioned in the 1876
edition of The Bon Vivant’s Companion by Jerry Thomas, we can be assured
that as it is an English drink, and this is an American book, the cocktail
would had to have been around for a while first. It is also listed in Jerry
Thomas’s book as being a variation on a whiskey Collins. However, the
drink is almost certainly named after Old Tom Gin, a sweetened style
popular in the mid 19th England. The drink itself is identical to a gin fizz,
except for numerous rules of thumb about one having ice and the other
not, one being stirred and the other shaken. The only real difference
between these two drinks is that the Gin Fizz began its life in America and
the Tom Collins in England. The Gin Fizz uses dry gin, and the Tom
Collins a sweetened style. However, this would have been balanced out in
the addition of less sugar, so the two drinks probably tasted identical.
Both drinks are shaken with ice and poured straight up into a small
highball or tumbler. They are then charged with soda water and drunk
quickly, while they are energetic. Jerry Thomas lists his Gin Fizz as a
stirred drink with powdered sugar, and topped with Apollinaris or seltzer
water, whereas the Tom Collins called for sugar syrup and soda water.
Most of Jerry Thomas’ fizzes are stirred with a small lump of ice, and I can’t
help feeling that this represents the American style rather than a true
difference in the cocktail itself. As for the Tom Collins, it gets its name
from two places, a bartender named John Thomas, who was known to
some degree for a fabulous gin punch or sling that he made, and the Old
Tom brand of gin. It is quite possible that the drink began its life as
Collin’s punch or sling, and slowly became a Collins with Old Tom, then
the Tom Collins we know today. The other aspect of the drink worth
mentioning is that it is primarily a Gin Sour with soda water added. Soda
water was first created in 1767, but it wasn’t until 1800 that its use
outside of medicine began. By the mid 1800’s, when the Tom Collins
begins to appear, soda or carbonated water would have been quite
common, and a Gin Sour topped with soda and drunk quickly, while
energetic, would have been quite a sensation.
1906 In 1903 the Wright Brothers fly the first plane.
Bronx
14
Dry gin, with hints of lemon and orange, very refreshing
aperitif style.
There are two people who claim ownership of the Bronx cocktail. One,
cited in his obituary in the New York Times, among other places, was
Joseph S Sormani. Sormani was a Bronx restaurateur who discovered the
cocktail in 1905 in the city of Philadelphia. There is no known reference to
who made it or where in Philadelphia it was mixed. The other, and possibly
more accurate claim, is that Johnnie Solon of the Waldorf Astoria created
this drink as an alternative to the then popular Duplex cocktail. He never
tasted the drink, preferring to trust the palate of the head waiter who had
issued the challenge for a new cocktail on behalf of a customer. The drink
was an instant success. Its creation would have been between 1899, when
Solon began at the Waldorf, and 1905 when the drink first appeared in
print. The name comes from the Bronx zoo, in honour of the various
beasts and strange animals that the bartender saw there, and the even
stranger beasts that customers claimed to have seen when under the
influence. Johnnie Solon did not drink. The drink is a mixture of Gin,
Orange juice, sweet and dry vermouth, all shaken and served straight up;
or drunk frappe style over crushed ice in the summer.
1916 The Great War begins in 1914.
Martini
15
This drink needs no introduction. Order it any way you like it.
Probably the most famous cocktail in the world. We think that it was
created around 1910, in America, and probably based on the Martinez
cocktail of the 1860’s. The original incarnation included a dash of orange
bitters and a lot more vermouth than we would use today. The drink rose
in popularity all through prohibition, probably because it was simple to
make, using very few ingredients, and yet had enough flavour to conceal
the cheap bathtub gin. One of it’s most famous moments was Franklin
Roosevelt toasting the end of prohibition on the steps of congress with a
martini in hand! The Martini cocktail actually pre-dates the triangular
glass we now associate with the drink. Previous to the 1920’s the standard
cocktail glass was a small wine glass or champagne saucer. It wasn’t until
the post prohibition love affair with all types of cocktail equipment and
paraphernalia that the triangular cocktail glass came to be. We have
never looked back. The martini served in a triangular cocktail glass with
an olive is one of the most recognised symbols for a cocktail. We make our
martinis with your choice of vodka or gin, with a dash of bitters, and a
slightly larger than normal dash of vermouth. Garnished with a lemon
twist, and also an olive if so desired.
1916 1917 Lenin leads the Russian Revolution.
French 75
18
Crisp lemon with dry French Champagne and gin. Guaranteed
to get the night started.
There is a lot of controversy about some of the origins of this cocktail,
whether it was a brandy drink with champagne, or calvados? If it was
created by Raoul Lufberry the flying ace, or if it was a gin drink meant to
celebrate the alliance between France and England in defeating the
Germans? The gin for England and the champagne for France. What is
certain is that it was named for the “French 75” field gun, also known as
the 75mm Howitzer artillery piece, which packs a hell of a kick. It
definitely was first drunk during and immediately after the Great War and
brought back to the US, most notably the Stork Club, by returning US
officers. It is first recorded in Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail book where
it is listed as a Gin drink, and served with ice in a tall glass. However it
came to exist, the combination of Gin, lemon Juice, sugar and a healthy
pour of French champagne is one of the most balanced and satisfying
cocktails ever created. We make ours in a flute with Tattinger Champagne,
South gin, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
1916 1918 the Great War Ends.
Side Car
16
The aperitif for winter. Cognac, lemon and a hint of orange.
This drink was created during The Great War in Paris. A military
gentleman who was habitually driven about in a side car requested a
warming aperitif to help with his head-cold before dinner. The bartender,
whose identity has not been recorded, was troubled by the contradiction in
an aperitif that was also warming. To his credit he made a fresh, sharp
drink that is an excellent aperitif and contains a large measure of brandy;
and so should also warm the drinker. The name later came to mean that
the mixture would take the drinker “for a ride”, just like being driven in a
side car. The drink first came to London in 1918 when MacGarry made
them at the Buck’s Club. The first mention in print is the 1922 book
Cocktails: How to Mix Them by Robert Vermiere, where it is listed as having
equal measures of Brandy, Cointreau and lemon juice, and no sugar rim.
1926
Farnsworth Creates the First Television.
Aviation
15
Spicy, floral, tart and lovely. Gin with violets and lemon.
The Aviation cocktail was dedicated by an unknown bartender to the
aviation industry. The drink first appears in Recipes for mixed Drinks
(1916), by Hugo Ensslin, who tended bar at the Hotel Wallick in Times
Square, New York. The drink was supposed, by dint of a touch of violet
liqueur, to remind people of the wide blue yonder, where aviators were
beginning to play. The drink, gin, fresh lemon, maraschino, and of course
violet, became very popular during the thirties. Until the violet liqueur ran
out. Now, finally, available in its original recipe thanks to the newly
available Monin Violette liqueur, the gorgeous floral, tart and spicy
Aviation.
1926
South Side
16
A Short sharp hit of dry Gin, fresh mint, lime and a touch of
Orange.
The Southside cocktail originated either in Southside Chicago by the
violent Saltis-McErlane gang who mixed rough bootleg liquor with sugar
and citrus to make it palatable, or on Long Island New York where the
members of the Southside Sportsmans Club sipped the beverage on
hunting and fishing trips right through prohibition. There is a fare bit of
evidence to suggest that the Saltis-McErlane gang mostly sold beer, and the
Southside cocktail definitely has a documented history in New York, the
famous 21 Club was well known for them. Whatever the origin, this is one
of the finest prohibition drinks around. We are prepare ours with South
Gin, fresh mint, lime juice, a touch of sugar and Regan's Orange Bitters.
1936 1939 Hitler Invades Poland.
Negroni
16
Complex and sharp with a bitter finish. I wonder if that
describes the Count?
The Negroni is possibly the perfect aperitif cocktail, it is slightly tart from
the orange twist and the gin, but gets a cleansing bitterness from the
Campari and a rich weight from the vermouth. It was created sometime
around 1920 by bartender Fosco Scarselli at Bar Casoni in Florence. It
was first made for, and named after, Count Camillo Negroni who
frequented Bar Carsoni and drank Americanos. The story goes that he
requested a stronger, more potent and less watery Americano. Fosco
obliged by adding gin and removing the soda.
1936 1938 Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) is created by Albert Hoffman.
Corpse Reviver No. 2
15
Clean and crisp; gin with Lillet vermouth, Cointreau and a
cheeky dash of Absinthe. This drink was meant as a pick me
up for first thing in the morning. Those were the days…!
First appears in the 1930 Edition of Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail
Book in a section called ‘Reviver Cocktails’, designed to be drunk
before 11am or “…whenever steam and energy are needed”. This is
one of those drinks that just works. A great combination of liqueur,
vermouth, spirit and citrus, a style that existed briefly around 1920;
until the more practical style of the 30’s, (citrus, spirit, liqueur, no
vermouth) won the day. The flavours are all clearly defined and at
the same time beautifully mixed. A truly great classic drink, and as
Harry Craddock said “…four of these, taken in succession, will unrevive the corpse again.”
1936
20th Century
15
A surprisingly elegant mix of gin, lemon, Lillet and a hint of
chocolate.
Created by British bartender C. A. Tuck in 1939 as a celebration of the 20th
Century Limited railway company that ran from Chicago to New York. The
railway operated from 1902 till 1967 and was one of the most famous and
luxurious railway lines in the world. Luxurious, art deco, and complete
with red carpet that was rolled out at the station for guests to disembark.
The cocktail is a quirky mix that somehow is just so right. Gin with
chocolate liqueur, Lillet Blanc and lemon juice.
1936
Margarita
16
Crisp fresh lime with lashing of Cuervo 1800 Blanco Tequila
and Grand Marnier. Served straight up with a half salt rim.
Created sometime in the late nineteen thirties. The drink has been credited
to Danny Negrete in 1936 who reputedly made the drink for his brother
David’s wedding at the bar they owned together Garci Crispo. The Bride
was called, of couse, Margarita. There is another story, also very reputable,
that the drink was created in 1938 by Carlos “Danny” Herrera. It was
made for the imfamouse showgirl Rita De La Rosa at the Rancho La Gloria.
All the recipes contain tequila, lime juice and triple sec, dry orange liqueur.
However, the drink is certainly a variation of the older beverage from
around 1915, the Tequila Daisy. Tequila, Triple Sec, and lime juice served
with crushed ice in a rocks glass. No salt. The Spanish work for daisy is,
of course, Margarita.
1946 1945 World War Two ends.
Mai Tai
16
Lots of rum, almond, lime and a bit more rum to finish.
Tropical and powerful.
Created by Trader Vic, Victor Bergeron, in 1944 and kept secret until the
1970’s, when to try and return some consistency to the terrible Mai Tai’s
being made at every other bar, Vic released his recipe for the first time.
The original called for 17 year old Wray and Nephew rum with an equally
impressive aged dark rum, a touch of almond syrup, lime and Dutch
Curacao. Within a couple of years the world’s entire supply of very old rum
had been consumed in Mai Tai’s. From there began a never ending
blending and sourcing to try and keep the original style without being able
to supply the original rums. This is one of the great rum drinks, the
almond, lime and rum come together perfectly and Vic himself must be
credited, with Donn Beach, as one of the creators of Tiki, a cocktail culture
all about fun, flavour and relaxation.
1946 1946 Churchill Begins the Cold War.
Mojito
15
One of the greatest rum drinks ever. Created by pirates, drunk
everywhere; mint, lime and loads of rum.
The earliest mentions of the Mojito are from 1931 edition of the Sloppy
Joe’s Bar Manual. It is definitely a Cuban drink and gained popularity as
an alternative to the perennial favourite, the Daiquiri. However, the Mojito
is a re-naming of the El Draque. This beverage was mixed up by Richard
Drake while serving under Sir Francis Drake, whose nickname was El
Draque. We assume he had a fiery temper to match the fiery flavour of the
first Mojito style drink. Mint, sugar and lime mixed with aguardiente, an
unrefined, very strong, very harsh rum. Although Sir Francis Drake sailed
for England, he was in every other way a pirate who terrorized the
Caribbean during the 1500’s. Drake used Cuba as his base and from there
sailed and plundered Venezuela, Mexico and Columbia. All of those
countries have drinks called El Draque or the Draquecito, little dragon, to
remember him by.
1956 Watson, Crick and Franklin discover the helix shape of DNA in 1953.
Pina Colada
16
Fresh pineapple, with coconut and cream, shaken and served
straight up.
Everywhere you look it seems that the Pina Colada was created by Ricardo
Gracia around 1954. According to Ricardo it was created at the Hilton
Hotel San Juan Puerto Rico as a variation on the Coco Loco after the
coconut cutters went on strike. However, there is reference to the drink,
with the correct recipe, in the New York Times April 16, 1950. Four years
before Ricardo moved to Puerto Rico. There are also references to the Pina
Colada (strained pineapple) and the Pina Fria (Chilled pineapple) as far
back as 1910. What is definite is that Ricardo Gracia made the drink
famous at the Caribe Hilton, and then took it with him as he was moved
from Hilton hotel to Hilton hotel, spreading the cocktail around the world.
We make ours with Bacardi and Appleton rum, fresh pineapple, cream and
coconut syrup. All shaken and served straight up in a martini glass.
1966 1969 Armstrong and Aldrin walk on the Moon.
Zombie
18
All the rums, served tall and tropical. Yummy, but unforgiving.
The Zombie first rears its ultra-strong, over-proof head in the 1930’s,
created by Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gant, alias, Donn Beach, the
Beachcomber. It was made for a customer about to fly to San Fransisco,
who drank three and later complained that the beverage had rendered him
a complete Zombie. The Drink was then officially launched at the New
York World’s Fair in 1939. However, we have included this drink in the
sixties because of its longevity and the constant desire of customers to
drink a cocktail that contains everything! The Zombie, in its many and
varied forms, is the best example of the “take everything from that shelf
and mix it up” school of bartending. Thanks must go to Donn the
Beachcomber for showing all bartenders everywhere that an unholy
amount of different alcohols mixed up together can taste good!
1976
Blue Lagoon
16
So bad it’s good. A tall, bright blue flavour explosion. Tequila,
fresh lime all served tall and blue.
While I have been unable to uncover the bartender responsible for this
bright blue tipple, I have been able to mix a great one with El Capricco
Madura agave spirit, fresh lemon juice, and, of course, blue Curacao. This
is the quintessential colourful cocktail, tall, blue and garnished with a very
red cocktail cherry. A blast from the not so distant past to remind us that
while cocktails were always about taste, they weren’t always tasteful.
1976
Long Island Iced Tea Serves 4
72
The biggest, baddest, tastiest Long Island you’ve ever seen.
Served in a 1930’s prohibition shaker with glasses for four.
There are two competing stories for the creation of this drink. The most
widely known is that the drink was created by Robert “Rosebud” Butt in
the early 1970’s at the Oak Beach Inn, Hampton Bay, Long Island. That’s
Long Island New York. The other story, with less evidence or proof, is that
the drink was created in the 1920’s by “Old Man” Bishop, who passed the
recipe on to his son Ransom Bishop, a prohibition bootlegger who produced
high quality illegal distillate in, yep, Long Island. Long Island Tennessee
that is. Whatever the truth between the two, the recipe is almost identical,
with Mr Bishop preferring soda to cola, and a drop of maple syrup, but
otherwise the same. Of course, during prohibition, there would not have
been the range of spirits available to make this drink at all...
Either way, a remarkably delicious way to enjoy four spirits mixed with a
splash of fresh lemon and a dash of coke.
1986 1989 the Fall of the Soviet Union.
Cosmo
15
Vodka, orange, lemon and cranberry. A modern classic.
Perhaps this is the ultimate 90’s cocktail, but it was invented in the ’85 or
’86 by Cheryl Cook in South Beach Florida. The original recipe called for
citron vodka, lime cordial and a whack of cranberry. The recipe we know
and love today was put together by Toby Cecchini, a bartender at the
Odeon in Manhattan. He had this drink described to him by a customer,
and mixed up citron vodka with fresh lime, cranberry and Cointreau. From
there it spread, gaining most of its popularity while served with a flamed
orange twist at the Rainbow Room by Dale De Groff. Finally it has been
publicized far and wide by the beautiful people on Sex in the City, making
the drink so popular as to almost destroy it. Somehow appropriate for a
drink that was originally made so that that people who did not like martinis
could have a drink that came in a martini glass.
1986
Japanese Slipper
15
Cointreau, Midori, and fresh lemon, served straight up with a
cherry. Pure 80’s chic, and darn tasty to boot!
Created in Melbourne by Jean-Paul Bourguignon in 1984. This is one of
the most famous Midori drinks in the world, and it all began here. The
drink is now considered one of the International Bartenders Association
‘Official Drinks’ and can be ordered safely in most countries where Midori
is available. This drink is a testament to Australian bartending, and the
global reach of a truly great recipe.
1996
Sapphire Cilantro
16
Strawberries with vanilla, coriander and gin. Full bodied,
fresh and complex.
The time for drinks combining infusions, fresh fruit and herbs. This
period, especially in London, was an awakening that good quality fruit,
crushed into a cocktail, would result in a good drink. The Sapphire
Cilantro was originally created in 1999 by Wayne Collins for Bombay
Sapphire. Fresh strawberries, cilantro, vanilla infused vodka, Bombay
Sapphire gin, strawberry liqueur and fresh limejuice. This is a complex
drink where the fresh fruit hide a plethora of complex botanicals and
herbal flavours.
1996
Caipirinha
16
Crisp, sharp and refreshing. Limes, Cachaça and sugar.
The other huge drink from the late 90’s was the caipirinha. Despite the
fact that Brazilians have been drinking these for about three hundred
years, it was only fifteen years ago that Londoners discovered it. One whole
lime crushed with sugar and a massive measure of Cachaça. The word
caipirinha is Portuguese for “peasant drink” and this is the national drink
of Brazil, where there are lots of limes, sugar, and lots and lots of Cachaca.
1996
Espresso Martini
15
The perfect pick-me-up. Vodka with coffee, Kahlua and sugar.
Created by Dick Bradsel in the mid 90’s for the cocktail list at the
Pharmacy, Notting Hill, London, under the name “The Stimulant”. As you
can imagine the drink was a roaring success and Dick went on to serve it
at a host of bars around town. I was lucky enough to have Dick Bradsel
teach me how to make this drink correctly in 1999. It should look like a
Guinness when you pour it, with a dense coffee foam gradually forming on
the top of the drink. Of course, until Flat White opened a couple of years
ago the coffee in London was rubbish, so you really needed the vodka to
make it worth drinking. We use Coffee Supreme with 42 Below Manuka
Honey vodka and a dash of Kahlua.
Mitch Martini
15
Passion fruit, apple and peach, all topped with Zubrowka
vodka and served straight up.
Zubrowka bison grass vodka with cloudy apple juice, peach liqueur, and
Passion fruit syrup this drink was created by Giovanni Burdi at Match
EC1, London, in 1998. The drink is named for either a customer called
Mitch, or the hurricane of that name.
Beer
Bohemia
Dos Equis
Kronenburg
Peroni
Pure Blonde
Coopers Sparkling
Red Back Wheat
Rogers
Charlotte’s Hefferwiezen
Crackenback Pale Ale
Razor Back Red Ale
Bee Sting Honey Wheat
Little Creatures Pale
Little Creatures Pilsner
Stella Artois
Asahi
Guinness
Staropramen
Trumer Pils
Singha Stout
Knapstein Reserve
Shofferhofer
Caporal
Titje
Leffe Brune
Boucanier Dark
Chimay Grand Reserve 750ml
Chimay Grand Reserve 1500ml
Mexico
Mexico
France
Italy
Victoria
South Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia
New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales
South Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia
Victoria
Japan
Ireland
Czech Republic
Austria
Thailand
South Australia
Germany
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
9
11
11
9
9
11
14
34
78
Aspall Cider
England
8
Champagne
Tattinger
Billecart Salmon
Laurent Perrier
Perrier Jouet
Perrier Jouet Belle Époque
NV
NV
NV
NV
1998
16
88
108
118
122
224
Tattinger Rose
Billecart Salmon Rose
Laurent Perrier Rose
NV
NV
NV
de Venoge
NV
Blanc de Noirs
112
Tattinger
Laurent Perrier
NV
NV
Magnum
Magnum
170
188
128
156
148
Sparkling
2005 Cuvee Eliza
2002 Huia
38
68
White Wine
By the glass…
2007 Cardinham Riesling Clare Valley
7
2007 Quealy Pobblebonk Mornington Peninsula
7
2005 Crittendon Estate Chardonnay Mornington Peninsula 8
2007 Mahi Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
8
30
32
44
36
Semillon…
2006 Meerea Park “Hell Hole” Semillon Hunter Valley
1999 Mount Pleasant “Elizabeth” Semillon Hunter Valley
40
44
Aromatics…
2007 Delatite Gewürztraminer Mansfield
2005 De Lusso Vermentino Mudgee
2006 T’Gallant Imogen Pinot Gris Mornington Peninsula
38
38
34
Sauvignon Blanc…
2007 Domonic Portet Sauvignon Blanc Yarra Valley
42
Chardonnay…
2003 Brands Chardonnay Coonawarra
2004 Darling Park Reserve Chardonnay Mornington Peninsula
2003 Domaine Laroche Barique Reserve Chardonnay Burgundy
2005 Te Kairanga “Casarina” Reserve Chardonnay Martinborough
2006 Sorrenberg Chardonnay Beechworth
2004 Domaine Blaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet Boudriotte
2004 Domaine Blaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot
1999 Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre Premier Cru Chablis
38
44
44
48
72
148
148
160
Red Wine
By the glass…
2005 Forester Cabernet Merlot Margaret River
2002 Mount Pleasant “OP & OH” Shiraz Hunter Valley
2006 Helen's Hill Yarra Valley
2006 D’Arrenberg Love Grass Shiraz
8
9
8
9
30
40
32
38
Merlot…
2004 Gibson Merlot Barossa Valley
58
Shiraz…
2000 Mount Pleasant “Philip” Shiraz Hunter Valley
2006 Baileys Shiraz Glenrowan
2005 Kaesler “Bogan” Shiraz Barossa Valley
42
44
66
Cabernet…
2005 Devils Lair Cabernet Margaret River
90
Blends…
2006 Quealy Rageous Blend Mornington Peninsula
48
Pinot Noir…
2002 Metier Schoolhouse Pinot Noir Yarra Valley
2006 Konrad Pinot Noir Otago
2006 Maude Pinot Noir Otago
2002 Domaine De La Vougeraie Terres de Famille Burgundy
2003 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Vin
48
44
56
54
166
American Whiskey
Bookers Single Barrel
Jim Beam Small Batch
Blaynton’s Single Barrel
Gentleman Jack
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel
Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve 10yr
McKenna
Makers Mark
Woodford Reserve
Rittenhouse
Old Protrero 18th Century
Bourbon
Bourbon
Bourbon
Tennessee Whiskey
Tennessee Whiskey
Bourbon
Bourbon
Bourbon
Bourbon
Bourbon
Bourbon
Rye
Rye
12
10
10
10
12
8
10
18
8
8
9
9
14
Blended
Blended
Highland
Highland
Highland
Highland
Highland
Highland
Highland
Highland
Highland
Isle of Skye
Islay
Islay
Islay
Islay
Islay
Islay
Jura
9
8
12
18
10
10
10
10
22
44
11
10
12
9
18
18
17
11
11
Scotch Whisky
Chivas Regal 12yr
Dewer’s 12yr
Glenfiddich 15yr
Glenfiddich 21yr
Benriach 10yr
Glenkeith 10yr
Glenmorangie 10yr
Craganmore 10yr
Edradour 10yr Pitlochry
Edradour 11yr Grand Rum Arôme
Dalmore 12yr
Talisker 10yr
Ardbeg 10yr
Bowmore 10yr
Bowmore Darkest
Bowmore Mariner 15yr
Bowmore 17yr
Laphroaig 10yr
Isle of Jura Superstition
Irish Whiskey
Jameson
Jameson 12yr
Jameson Gold
Jameson 18yr
Middleton Very Rare
8
9
24
28
32
Gin
Plymouth
Plymouth Sloe
South
Brokers
Bombay Sapphire
Tanqueray
Tanqueray 10
Beefeater
Beefeater Crown Jewel
Hendricks
Blackwoods 2003
Martin Millers
Martin Millers Westbourne
Aviation
8
8
8
8
8
8
14
8
16
9
9
9
14
13
Cognac
Hennessey VS
10
Martell VSOP
Martell Cordon Bleu
Remy Martin VS
Remy Martin VSOP
11
22
9
11
Rum
7 Tiki
Angostura 1824 12yr
Angostura 1919 8yr
Pusser’s Navy Rum
Pusser’s 15yr Old
Appleton Estate V/X
Appleton Estate Extra 12yr
Pampero Blanco
Matuselem 15yr
Bacardi Oro
Bacardi Anejo
Bacardi 8yr
Inner Circle Red Dot
Inner Circle Green Dot
Inner Circle Black Dot
Havana Club Anejo Blanco
Havana Club Anejo Reserva
Havana Club Cuban Barrel Proof
Fiji and New Zealand
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
British Virgin Islands
Trinidad
Jamaica
Jamaica
Venezuela
Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Bahamas
Australia
Australia
Australia
Cuba
Cuba
Cuba
9
16
9
10
15
8
12
9
15
8
18
9
8
9
13
8
9
22
Tequila
El Caprico Madura Agave Spirit
Jose Cuervo Traditional Reposado
Jose Cuervo 1800 Blanco
Jose Cuervo 1800 Reposado
Jose Cuervo 1800 Anejo
Hacienda Del Cristero Blanco
Don Julio Reposado
Herradura Silver
Herradura Reposado
Herradura Anejo
Agavero Liqueur
8
9
9
11
13
16
16
10
14
18
9
Vodka
42 Below
42 Below Passion fruit
42 Below Feijoa
42 Below Kiwifruit
42 Below Manuka Honey
26,000
Stolichnaya Elite
Wyborowa
Wyborowa Almond
Wyborowa Rose
Wyborowa Exquisite
Zubrowka Bison Grass
Chopin
Level
Babicka
Smirnoff Black Copper Pot Still
Grey Goose
Grey Goose L’Orange
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand
Russia
Poland
Poland
Poland
Poland
Poland
Poland
Sweden
Czech Republic
UK
France
France
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Rye
Rye
Rye
Rye
Rye
Potato
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
8
8
8
8
8
10
18
8
8
8
16
8
8
10
9
10
12
12